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Prophylactic vitamin D supplementation in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: an animal study
Guluzar Arzu Turan1, Fatma Eskicioglu, Oya Nermin Sivrikoz
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Sifa University, Sanayi cad no:7, Bornova, 35100, Izmir, Turkey, arzuturan74@yahoo.com.
Purpose:
To investigate the effect of vitamin D in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Methods:
In this animal study, 28 immature female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: group 1 (control); group 2 (ovarian stimulation); group 3 (OHSS group); group 4 (OHSS + vitamin D group). All groups were killed 48 h after hCG administration and were compared in terms of vascular permeability, ovarian weight, ovarian diameter, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression (immunohistochemistry) in ovarian tissue and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) level in the serum (ELISA test) with the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests.
Results:
VEGF expression in the vitamin D group was similar to that in the OHSS group. However, the PEDF level was significantly higher in the vitamin D group (p = 0.013).
Conclusions:
Prophylactic vitamin D supplementation is not sufficiently effective in preventing OHSS. Vitamin D effectively increases PEDF, which has an opposing effect on VEGF, which plays a key role in OHSS. Thus, the protective effect of Vitamin D on OHSS should be investigated with a vitamin D deficient model in the study group.
